Article handling trucks



April 3, 1956 A. KEEM ETAL 2,740,542

ARTICLE HANDLING TRUCKS Filed July 29, 1954 6 1 a 5/43 /a 6m 7 6/7 INVENTORSV Horus-r MET/1 L YLE 65/3450 BY A 7770 IPNA Ya ARTICLE HANDLEYG TRUCKS August Keen], East Aurora, and Lyle Gcisler, Hoiiand, Y.,' assignors t one-third to William Ranch, East Aurora, N. Y.

Application July 29, 1354, Serial No. 446,531

Claims. (Cl. 2l-----3Si) Our invention relates in general to material handling trucks; and in particular to a truck for handling bricks, glazed tiles, concrete blocks and the like.

The principal object or" our invention is to provide a device by which a number of tiers or courses of bricks or the like piled in a brick yard or on a flatcar may be engaged, transported, and unloaded quickly and conveniently without having to handle them manually.

Another object is to provide a device which shall not require any preliminary or definite spacing of the rows of bricks to be handled.

Furthermore, our device is of such a nature that the lower tier of bricks or other articles being handled may be firmly grasped in such a manner as to support the upper tiers while being handled.

Moreover, our device is of such a nature that when handling glazed tile or the like, breakage is reduced to a minimum.

The above objects and advantages have been'accomplished by the device shown in the accompanying drawings, of which:

Fig. l is a front view of our device;

Fig. 2 is a rear view thereof:

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the same; and

Figs. 4 and 5 are fragmentaryrear elevational .views of the modified form of the invention. 1

Our device comprises a bed plate 1i which is provided on its rear face with two spaced reinforcing angle memhere 11 which are connected by means of spacers 12 to the supporting members 13. The supporting members are held in spaced relation by cross members 14 and each supporting member is provided at its upper end with a handle 15. The supporting members have suitable bearlugs 16 at their lower ends within which is rotatably mounted an axle 2% having a truck wheel 21 at each end thereof. Suitable braces 22 serve to connect the lower endsof the supporting members 13 to the angle reinforcing members 11.

Removably attached to the lower portion of the bedplate is a stationary clamping member 23 which in the positionshown in the drawings is disposed within a vertical slot 24 formed in the bedplate and extended upwardly from the lower edge thereof. The stationary clamping member preferably extends outwardly beyond the face of the bedplate sufiiciently to engage the article "being handled and it is provided with an angularly arranged leg 27 which is disposed on the back face of the plate and which is secured in place by means of a series of bolts 26. This stationary clamping member may be disposed'in a number of positions, and a number of iifi ihfi iz Patented Apr. 3, 1956 apertures 25 are provided along the outer edge of the bedplate for the reception of the bolts 26 whereby the member may be secured in this position when it is desired to increase the capacity of the device.

Coac ting with the stationary clamping member 23 is a movable clamping member 30 which is carried at'the lower end 31 of a bellcrank 32 which has a horizontally extending arm 33. A bellcrank brace 35 serves to conmeet the two arms of the bellcrank. The bellcrank is pivoted fat 34' to the bedplate and the movable clamping member extends outwardly a sulficient distance to engage the ar'ticlebeing handled. The arm 33 of the bellcrank is preferably disposed beneath a guide 36 whereby it is kept in proper alignment. The pivot pin 34 of the bellcrank is located in .its extreme position, and a series of apertures 40"are provided in the bedplate, whereby the distance 'between the movable and stationary members may be adjusted to suit existing conditions} The outerend of the arm 33 of thebellcrank is urged downwardly to the position shown in the drawings by means of a helical spring 41, and it is actuated in upward direction by means of a clamp arm 42 which is pivoted at tea ratchet bracket 44. The clamp arm is connected to the arm 33'of the bellcrank by means ofa suitable cable 45, having a turn buckle 46 therein for adjustment of the'length of the cable. .The ratchet plate 44 is formed on its face with a ratchet 50 with which a ratchet pawl '51, carried by the clamp arm 42, is engageable. A ratchet handle 52 which is connected to the pawl I51 serves 'to release the pawl from engagement with the ratchet.

Arranged along one side of the bedplate is a stationary side wall 53. Pivotally arranged at the opposite side of the'bedplate is a movable side wall 54 which is pivoted at 55' and which is formed at its upper end with a handle 56' whereby it may be manipulated. The handle 56 is formed with a pivotally mounted latch 60 which engages a stationary pin 61 when in the position shown in the drawings. An actuating lever 62 is pivotally mounted upon the handle and is connected to the latch by means of a rod 63. The upper end of the movable side wall is preferably supported at its upper end by a retaining member 64 which is of angular shape having an'arm 65 extending down over the back surface of the bedplate. In Figs. 1 to 3, inclusive, we have shown manual means for actuating the bellcrank lever 32, but in Figs. 4 and 5 hydraulic means are shown for causing the actuation of the parts. In Fig. 4 a hydraulic cylinder is secured to the back face of the bedplate 10 and is connected to the arm 33 of the bellcrank lever 32 by means of a plunger rod 71. As shown in Fig. 5, the adjustable stationary side wall 72 is carried by the upstanding arm 73 of a supporting bracket 74 which has a leg 75 lying in substantially the same plane as the bedplate. The leg 75 is preferably slidably mounted within a slot 76 formed in the bedplate and held in place by suitable guide members 89. A hydraulic actuating cylinder 81 is secured to the back face of the bedplate and is connected to the leg 75 of the supporting angle by means of a piston rod 82. Both hydrauliccylinders 70 and 81 are actuated by suitable hydraulic pump means (not shown) through the agency of suitable control valves (not shown) which are standard articles of manufacture and, therefore, are not shown or described.

When our device is to be put'into use, for instance J in the handling of brick, it is engaged with the lower tier of a series of rows of bricks from the right hand side and the truck is moved up toward the bricks so that the movable side wall will be in substantial registration with the right hand face of the outer row of bricks. Preliminary to such movement, it is advisable to separate the adja cent rows of bricks at the place when the stationary clamping member is to be inserted. This may be readily accomplished by passing a relatively thin flat member (not shown) down through the rows of bricks at the suitable point and to give the same a twisting movement, whereby the rows of bricks to be handled will be pushed slightly to one side, thereby making an opening into which the stationary body member may be inserted. The truck is then pushed up close to the pile of bricks and is actuated so that the bedplate is brought in substantial alignment with the front faces of the bricks to be handled. When in this position, the stationary and movable clamping members will be opposite the side faces of the series of bricks in the bottom tier; and, at this time, the movable clamping member 33 is moved toward the stationary clamping member 23, and the lower tier of bricks is thus firmly clamped in the device so that when the truck is tipped backwardly preliminarily to being transported, the lower tier of brick wiil support those above it. In the hand operated device shown in Figs. 1 to 3, the movable clamping member is actuated by pulling upwardly upon the clamp arm 42, the ratchet pawl engaging the ratchet and holding the arm and the connecting cable in position to maintain the movable clamping member in its clamped position while the bricks are being transported and until such time as it is desired to unload them, whereupon the truck with its load of brick is moved into the position where the bricks are to be deposited, and the ratchet pawl carried by the clamping arm is then released, thereby releasing the clamping action upon the lower tier of bricks and disengaging them from the truck. Obviously, when the form of device in Figs. 4 and 5 is used, the valve (not shown) will supply fluid to the proper side of the cylinder to either clamp or release the clamping members at the proper time.

While we have shown and described our device for the handling of solid articles, such as bricks, tiles and the like, it is obvious that it may be used with equal success in handling wooden articles or cartons containing merchandise where the articles or car-tons are susceptible of arrangement in piles and where clamping pressure is per missible.

Obviously, some modifications of the details herein shown and described may be made without departing from the spirit of our invention or the scope of the appended claims.

We claim:

1. In a wheeled device for handling articles arranged in abutting tiers, comprising a bedplate, a stationary c1amping member carried by and extending outwardly from said bedplate for engaging one side of the lower tier of articles, a movable clamping member mounted upon said bedplate in opposition to said stationary clamping member and engageable with the opposite side of the lower tier of articles, actuating means for moving said movable member toward said stationary member to frictionally hold said clamping members against the lower tier only of abutting articles, means for locking said actuating means in clamping position, means for releasing the lower tier of articles, a stationary wall extending outwardly from said bedplate and in substantially vertical alignment with the outside faces of the end articles at one side of the upper tiers, a movable wall engageable with the outside surfaces of the end articles of the opposite tiers, a pivot for said movable wall carried by said bedplate and means for holding said movable wall in its adjusted position.

2. In a wheeled device for handling articles arranged in abutting tiers, comprising a bedplate, a stationary clamping member adjustably mounted upon and extending outwardly from said bedplate for engaging one side of the lower tier of articles, a movable clamping member mounted upon said bedplate in opposition to said stationary clamping member and engageable with the opposite side of the lower tier of articles, actuating means for moving said movable member toward said stationary member to frictionally hold said clamping members against the outside surfaces of the lower tier of articles only, means for locking said actuating means in clamping position, a stationary wall extending outwardly from said bedplate and in substantially vertical alignment with the outside faces of the end articles at one side of the upper tiers, a movable wall engageable with the outside faces of the end articles at the opposite side of the upper tiers, a pivot for said movable wall carried by said bedplate, and means for holding said pivotal wall in its adjusted position.

3. In a wheeled device for handling articles arranged in abutting tiers, comprising a substantially imperforate bedplate for contact with the back surfaces of the articles being handled, a stationary clamping member carried by and extending outwardly from said bedplate for frictionally engaging one side of the lower tier of articles, a bellcrank pivotally mounted upon the back surface of said bedplate, a movable clamping member carried by one leg of said bellcrank and projecting outwardly through said bedplate in opposition to said stationary member, said movable clamping member being substantially inflexible for engagement with the other side of the lower tier of articles, actuating means secured to the other leg of said bellcrank for moving said movable member toward said stationary member to frictionally hold said clamping members against the lower tier only of abutting articles, means for locking said actuating means in clamping position, a stationary wall extending outwardly from said bedplate and in substantially vertical alignment with the outside faces of the end articles of the upper tiers, and a movable side wall adjustably carried by said bedplate and pivoted in a plane normal to the face of the station-' ary wall to engage the outside faces of the end articles of the upper tiers.

4. In a wheel device for handling articles arranged in abutting tiers, comprising a bedplate, a stationary clamping member carried by and extending outwardly from said bedplate for engaging one side of the lower tier only of abutting articles, a movable clamping member mounted upon said bedplate in opposition to said stationary clamping member and engageable with the opposite side of the lower tier only of said articles, actuating means for moving said movable member toward said stationary member to frictionally hold said clamping members against the lower tier of articles, means for locking said actuating means in clamping position, an adjustable stationary wall extending outwardly from said bedplate and in substantially vertical alignment with the outside faces of the end articles at one side of the upper tiers, a movable wall adjustably carried by said bedplate and adjustable to engage the outside faces of the articles at the other side of the upper tier, and means for holding said pivotal wall in its adjusted position.

5. In a wheeled device for handling articles arranged in abutting tiers, comprising a substantially imperforate bedplate for contact with the back surfaces of the articles being handled, a stationary clamping member carried by and extending outwardly from said bedplate for frictionally engaging one side of the lower tier of articles, a bellcrank pivotally mounted upon the back surface of said bedplate, a movable clamping member carried by one leg of said bellcrank and projecting outwardly through said bedplate in opposition to said stationary member, said movable clamping member being substantially inflexible for engagement with the other side of the lower tier of articles, actuating means secured to the other leg of said bellcrank for moving said movable member toward said stationary member to frictionally hold said clamping members against the lower tier only of abutting articles,

means for locking said actuating means in clamping position, a stationary wall extending outwardly from said bedplate and in substantially vertical alignment with the outside faces of the end articles of the upper tiers, a movable side wall adjustably carried by said bedplate and pivoted in a plane normal to the face of the stationary wall to engage the outside faces of the end articles of the upper tiers, a handle at the upper end of said movable side wall for swinging said Wall upon its pivot, and latch means carried by said bedplate and said movable wall for holding the latter in its adjusted position against the face of the abutting articles.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Penfield Aug. Penfield Nov. Crum Dec. Hovde Dec. Townsend Aug. Fontaine Feb. Schmidgall June Rike Dec. Takitani July MacDonald et a1. Jan. 

